THE HIDDEN STORIES OF
CRUMBLY THICKETS
ELIZABETH J. MAIER
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"A whimsical and magical novel that celebrates the magic of storytelling." - Kirkus Reviews
A NOVEL FOR AGES 9-99
- magical
- quirky
- epic
"wonderfully descriptive." - Kirkus Reviews
“When we destroy the stories, we destroy every legend, every memory and every idea. And then not just the buildings, but the people and the past, present, and future will belong to us.”
The little town of Crumbly Thickets is stuck in the past, but is still home to ten-year-old Petralina Bland. On her return from a summer holiday, she is devastated to find it is being changed and destroyed from within.
If she is to protect the things she loves, she can no longer be the ‘nice girl’ her grandparents want her to be. To stand up to teachers, batty shopkeepers and powerful businesspeople, she must break free from mind-bending technology and the power of mysterious chocolates.
A teenage rebel offers Petralina a hiding place in what turns out to be no ordinary bakery. It is here that the small comforts of kindness and cake turn into big adventures, which unearth the truth behind the power struggle in Crumbly Thickets.
But is Petralina’s new friend all that he seems? How far can she trust him when she needs his protection the most?
NEW release - The sequel
Written in the same warm, witty, and richly imaginative style as the first novel, The Hidden Jewel of Crumbly Thickets continues to portray childhood as a realm of intelligence, wonder, and moral courage. This second instalment unfolds in a wintry Crumbly Thickets shaken by snowstorms, blackouts, and a newly emboldened Scrimpers regime. With increased surveillance across the town and free, memory‑altering school milk, the corporation’s influence becomes both more intrusive and unsettling.
At the centre of the story is ten‑year‑old Petralina, whose instinct to wonder now meets a world demanding sharper choices. Separated from her closest friend and drawn into an unexpected new companionship, she must navigate shifting loyalties, the ache of absence, and the fragile territory between belonging and independence. Her journey becomes increasingly emotional as questions of love, identity, and the complicated bonds of family rise to the surface.
Meanwhile, the town’s shopkeepers—still rich in humour and haphazard bravery—scramble to host an event to keep the community spirit alive. Throughout, the hidden stories continue to weave their subtle animal magic, offering guidance, mystery, and glimpses of long‑buried truths, leading Petralina into strange, luminous encounters where memory, history and the human heart intertwine.
Urgent, heartfelt, and ultimately hopeful, The Hidden Jewel of Crumbly Thickets deepens the series’ blend of magical realism and social commentary, revealing what it takes to stay human—and to choose love—within a system that threatens both.
Crumbly Thickets — A Story for Humans, Not just for Children
If you think Crumbly Thickets is just a children’s book… think again.
It blends innocence with sophistication
Children delight in the animals, cakes, stories-within-stories, and adventure.
Adults savour the descriptive language, layered meanings, and narrative craftsmanship.
It is a sharp social commentary
Beneath the cosy, whimsical fantasy lies an exploration of the shadow side of consumerism, modernisation, and advancing technology.
It invites readers to question their assumptions
Every odd event in Crumbly Thickets carries a deeper question: Do we accept social change without pausing to examine it?
It celebrates community dynamics adults recognise
Identity, belonging, moral courage, and the quiet power of kindness are woven through a narrative that is playful on the surface and resonant underneath.
It uses humour to expose uncomfortable truths
Quirky characters and absurd situations reveal real-world issues through a lens that feels safe, warm, and entertaining.
It rejects both superhero stereotypes and dark‑magic fantasy
No capes, no "chosen‑one heroes", no spells or sorcery! Crumbly Thickets celebrates ordinary people — neighbours, bakers, children — whose courage, conscience, and kindness shape their world.
It helps us navigate our complex world
Children find magic – and the courage to protect their world
Teens find the truth about friendship, identity and standing up to cruelty
Adults find life lessons and social relevance.
Teachers see stories that open conversations across generations.
"A fantastical story that shows how courage and kindness can be radical methods of resistance." - KIRKUS Reviews
How Crumbly Thickets Began ...
... with a Memory, a Lemon, and a Warning
The world of Crumbly Thickets grew out of childhood memories of blackberry‑picking, fascinating stories, baking cakes and wandering through the fields in the England of the 1960s and 70s.
Years later, those memories began to feel fragile — as though the simple traditions, joys and securities of childhood were being destroyed by mass production, consumerism, accelerating technology, the pressures of a changing climate — and by the spread of systems that forget what it means to be human.
Then one ordinary day, while baking in the kitchen, a simple lemon became the beginning of a new revelation. Bright, fragrant, full of life — a reminder that beauty and wonder still exist in small things, even as the world grows colder, less personal, and increasingly disconnected from the things that make us feel rooted.
That moment sparked the first ideas that would become The Hidden Stories of Crumbly Thickets. At its heart, this story is about protecting what matters: childhood, imagination, nature, home, community — and the hidden magic of ordinary life — in a world that risks losing them altogether.
